CFMEU bribery case delayed again

Former NSW CFMEU boss, Darren Greenfield, and his son, Michael, have succeeded in again delaying their bribery case.

Darren Greenfield has denied any wrongdoing in relation to the bribery allegations. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Former NSW CFMEU boss, Darren Greenfield and his son Michael Greenfield have succeeded in again delaying their bribery case without having to enter a plea.

Darren Greenfield and Michael Greenfield, the union’s former assistant NSW secretary, were arrested and charged in 2021 after allegedly taking bribes from a construction firm in exchange for favourable treatment from the union. They have denied any wrongdoing.

Lawyers for the Greenfields on Tuesday secured a further delay in proceedings until April 1, arguing they were waiting on the outcome of a High Court challenge to the CFMEU administration as it had funding implications for the bribery ­proceedings.

If the challenge succeeds, Darren Greenfield could regain his union job and seek to use members’ funds to finance his defence. Michael Greenfield ­resigned his position last August.

Lawyers for the Commonwealth were present at the Sydney court hearing on Tuesday and did not oppose the application by the Greenfields.

The Australian revealed last week that a report ordered by CFMEU administrator Mark Irving recommended Darren Greenfield be ­prosecuted on criminal charges over the transfer of $3.1m of members’s funds for the defence of the bribery charges.

The report by barrister Geoffrey Watson, SC alleges the Greenfields, the union’s former NSW president Rita Mallia, and ex-NSW assistant secretary, Rob Kera, seriously contravened the legal duties they owed to members of their union on multiple occasions and should be subject to civil penalty proceedings.

Mr Watson said Mr Irving should consider legal action against the officials to recover up to $895,000 in legal fees already paid out on behalf of the ­Greenfields, finding it was an “astonishing sum of money to be spent on a defence of charges of this kind”.

In addition to the $895,000 paid to a Sydney law firm over three years at a rate of nearly $30,000 a month, the NSW CFMEU committee of management last year authorised the transfer of $3.15m to a second law firm, McGirr & Associates.

Mr Watson recommended solicitor Paul McGirr, who is representing the Greenfields, should be subject to civil penalty proceedings. Mr McGirr has strongly rejected the claims.